What animals live in Chile?

Chile is a long, narrow country with deserts, mountains, forests, and coastline — and that variety means some remarkable animals call it home. In the Andes mountains you can find the condor, one of the largest flying birds in the world, with wings that can stretch nearly ten feet across. Guanacos, which look like slim relatives of the camel, roam the highlands too. Down in Patagonia in the far south, you might spot penguins waddling along the rocky shore — yes, penguins in South America! The ocean off Chile's coast is rich with sea lions and dolphins. And in the dry Atacama Desert in the north, flamingos wade through salty lakes high up in the mountains. Chile is a place where God packed a lot of variety into one skinny slice of a continent.

What do kids eat in Chile?

Chilean kids love a dish called cazuela — it's a warm soup with chunks of beef or chicken, potato, corn on the cob, and squash all cooked together in one pot. It tastes like something a grandmother made just for you on a cold evening, which in the south of Chile happens quite a lot since it sits near the tip of South America. For a quick snack, many kids grab a marraqueta, which is a crusty bread roll that Chileans eat at almost every meal. Spread some butter or avocado on it and you have something Chileans call 'pan con palta' — and palta just means avocado. Empanadas stuffed with beef, onion, and olives are also a favorite, especially on Sundays when families gather together.

How do people say hello in Chile?

In Chile, the most common greeting is '¡Hola!' which just means 'Hello!' — same as in most Spanish-speaking countries. But Chileans also say 'Buenas' as a quick, friendly shortcut for 'good morning,' 'good afternoon,' or 'good evening' all at once. When friends meet in Chile, a single kiss on the right cheek is a very normal greeting, even when meeting someone for the first time. Chileans are known for being warm and welcoming to visitors, which is one of the things that makes it a wonderful place for missionaries to build friendships and share the good news about Jesus.

What sports or games do kids play in Chile?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Kids in Chile are wild about fútbol — that's soccer — just like most of South America. You'll find kids kicking a ball in dusty plazas, school yards, and narrow city streets from Santiago all the way down to Patagonia. Rusty wants to add that Chilean kids also love a street game called 'luche,' which is a lot like hopscotch, and they play trompo, which is spinning a wooden top with a string. In the countryside, you might spot older traditions like la chueca, a stick-and-ball game that the Mapuche people — Chile's largest indigenous group — have played for hundreds of years. Games like these are a great reminder that God made people everywhere with a love for play and fun.

What's the weather like in Chile?

Chile is one of the longest, skinniest countries on Earth, stretching from top to bottom like a ribbon along the edge of South America. That means the weather is wildly different depending on where you are — the north has one of the driest deserts on the planet, called the Atacama, where it almost never rains. Down in the middle of Chile, the weather feels a bit like California — warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. But keep heading south and things get cold, stormy, and wild, with glaciers and fierce winds near the tip of the continent. Missionaries and local believers live in all these different regions, from the dusty desert towns to the rainy southern forests, sharing the gospel with people in every kind of climate.

Tell me a fun fact about Chile.

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Chile is one of the longest and thinnest countries in the world — it stretches about 2,700 miles from top to bottom, but in some places it's less than 110 miles wide. That means you could be standing in the driest desert on Earth in the north, while people in the south are watching glaciers drift by in cold, stormy seas. Rusty loves this part: because Chile is so long, it squeezes in just about every kind of landscape you can imagine — volcanoes, fjords, salt flats, forests, and even a tiny piece of Antarctica. People there eat a flatbread called marraqueta with almost every meal, and you might spot a South Andean deer called a huemul up in the mountains. God packed a lot of variety into one skinny country!

What is school like for kids in Chile?

In Chile, most kids go to school six days a week — yes, including Saturday! School usually starts in March because Chile is in the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons are flipped from North America. So their summer break falls in January and February instead of June and July. Chilean kids study subjects like math, Spanish, history, and science, just like many kids around the world. A popular school lunch is cazuela, a warm soup made with chicken or beef and vegetables. Many schools in Chile have Christian roots, and there are faithful believers and churches all across the country — people who love Jesus and want others to know Him too.

Who are the unreached people in Chile?

Great question! Chile has many people who have heard the name of Jesus but haven't truly understood or trusted Him as their Savior. One group that stands out is the Mapuche people — an indigenous group of about one million people who live mostly in southern Chile. Many Mapuche follow traditional spiritual practices tied to their ancestors and the spirit world, and the good news about Jesus has not taken deep root in many of their communities. There are also small communities of Arab immigrants, including people from Syria and Palestine, who settled in Chile and are mostly Muslim. They have their own neighborhoods, languages, and traditions — and very few of them have ever had a real chance to hear the gospel explained clearly. Pray that God would send faithful messengers to both the Mapuche and these immigrant communities, and that local Chilean churches would have courage and love to reach their neighbors with the truth about Jesus.

How can I pray for the people of Chile?

Herman and Rusty are glad you want to pray for Chile! Many Chileans have heard the name of Jesus, but not everyone has put their trust in Him as their true Savior. You can pray that the good news about Jesus would reach into every valley and village, from the driest desert in the north all the way down to the cold, windy tip of Patagonia. You can also pray for the Chilean churches — that they would grow strong, read their Bibles, and send out their own missionaries to people nearby who haven't heard about Jesus yet. There are some indigenous groups in Chile, like the Mapuche people, where local Christian leaders are still being raised up. Pray that God calls faithful Chileans from among these communities to lead and teach their own people about Jesus.

What is a holiday or celebration in Chile?

One of Chile's biggest celebrations is Fiestas Patrias, which happens every September 18th and 19th. It marks the day Chile began its journey to become an independent nation back in 1810. Families gather to eat empanadas, drink a drink called chicha, and dance the cueca — Chile's national dance where partners wave handkerchiefs and spin around each other. The cueca actually tells a story through movement, almost like acting out a courtship between two people. Streets fill with rodeos, folk music, and colorful flags hung on every building. For many Chilean Christians, these days are also a time to gather with family and give thanks to God for their country — a good reminder that every nation's story is held in God's hands.

What language do people speak in Chile?

Almost everyone in Chile speaks Spanish! It came to South America hundreds of years ago when Spanish explorers and settlers arrived. Today it is the official language of the country and what you would hear in schools, markets, and homes all across Chile. But Spanish is not the only language there. Some Chilean people, especially in the south, speak Mapudungun — the language of the Mapuche people, who have lived in that land for a very long time. One exciting thing for missionaries is making sure every person can hear about Jesus in the language they know best, right in their own heart language.

What's a famous place to visit in Chile?

One of the most jaw-dropping places in Chile is the Atacama Desert in the north — it is one of the driest places on the entire planet. Some parts of it almost never get rain at all, yet people have lived there for thousands of years, and the night skies are so clear that scientists from all over the world set up telescopes there to study the stars God made. Down in the south, Chile has a wild region called Patagonia, full of jagged mountains, huge glaciers, and deep blue lakes. And right in the middle of the country sits Santiago, the capital city, where millions of Chileans live, work, and go to church — because Chile actually has many believers who love Jesus and gather together to worship Him.

Chile — Kids Missions Explorer

Andean Condor

The Andean condor is one of the largest flying birds on Earth, with a wingspan that can stretch over ten feet, allowing it to glide for hours above the Andes Mountains without flapping its wings.

Humboldt Penguin

Humboldt penguins live along Chile's cold Pacific coastline and nest in burrows dug into the rocky shore, raising their chicks just a short walk from crashing ocean waves.

Pudu

The pudu is the world's smallest deer, standing only about a foot tall at the shoulder, and it lives tucked inside Chile's dense temperate forests in the south.

Empanadas

Chilean empanadas are baked pastry pockets stuffed with seasoned beef, a hard-boiled egg, olives, and onions, and families often make them together on Sundays.

Cazuela

Cazuela is a hearty stew made with chicken or beef, potatoes, corn on the cob, and pumpkin, and its warm, simple flavors make it a staple on cold Andean evenings.

Sopaipillas

Sopaipillas are flat fried discs made from dough mixed with mashed squash, eaten plain as a snack or drizzled with a dark sugar syrup called chancaca on rainy days.

Chile

Things you should know about Chile

Wildlife you might meet

What’s on the table

Did you know?

Life in Chile

Missions in Chile

Pray for Chile